Night vision vs Thermal

RMS65 · Feb 18, 2024

I've got a lot of coyote around my place in AR. They are are becoming a real problem with my dogs keeping me up at night.
There's a big field off my back deck that I could bait. Shots would be 300 to 500 yards. I know nothing about night optics. First, Is this possible? Second under $3k for the optic? I'm not sure if NV or thermal is better in high humidity and long distances.
Please school me.

Alcanino · Feb 18, 2024

Hi there

Night vision is more affordable than thermals, buy thermal are better of course.

Think you can find thermals for under $3,000 , but night vision you can get starting over 800 or 900, depending on features.
At the SCI Convention in Nashville, Burris was having a discount sale on all scooes: night vision, thermal, digital scopes and their previous eliminator scopes, all to promote their latest models to reduce inventory.

Alcanino · Feb 18, 2024

Oh wait a minute,
I forgot, ATN has a digital day/night scopes with color, think they're available for under a $1,000

Millennium200 · Feb 18, 2024

Thermal all the way over nv, But 3k will be tough to find for the ranges you are shooting. You will need at least 640x480 res., Also I did see a used Super Yoter at about your price point over on the PX.

Maggot · Feb 18, 2024

The difference I see is that NV gives more recognition of faces and details while thermal gives the advantage in poor conditions like fog, smoke, etc.

John? · Feb 18, 2024

@RMS65

Thermal is the answer for shooting coyotes. I bought a Steiner S35 when they closed out that model. It works fine. Battery life can be an issue sometimes. We’re in the Kaw River Valley so WX is similar to yours. If I had it to do again I would buy a clip on thermal. Live and learn.

Our best results with coyote control is trapping. A medium sized double spring trip like Duke or Minnesota 550 serves well. Anchor line with a spring helps prevent pull outs. A basic flat set can be very productive. Traps never get tired and they work 24/7. Winter trapping requires some additional steps to prevent freeze-up, but none of this is difficult. My 10 year old makes a good set in about 20 minutes.

RMS65 · Feb 18, 2024

John? said:
@RMS65

Thermal is the answer for shooting coyotes. I bought a Steiner S35 when they closed out that model. It works fine. Battery life can be an issue sometimes. We’re in the Kaw River Valley so WX is similar to yours. If I had it to do again I would buy a clip on thermal. Live and learn.

Our best results with coyote control is trapping. A medium sized double spring trip like Duke or Minnesota 550 serves well. Anchor line with a spring helps prevent pull outs. A basic flat set can be very productive. Traps never get tired and they work 24/7. Winter trapping requires some additional steps to prevent freeze-up, but none of this is difficult. My 10 year old makes a good set in about 20 minutes.

Thanks. Unfortunately traps are out of the question because I'll wind up trapping my dogs.

hafejd30 · Feb 18, 2024

Something like a sightmark wraith could be an option. You could get a thermal and NV for less than $3k. Thermals are about $1800 and NV about $400. They’ve generally had good reviews.

I have a Bering optics Hogster R35.

The thermal could be used as a scanner and the NV mounted to the rifle. Thermal is much easier to use for detecting coyotes and having a handheld to simply scan for without it mounted to a gun will be much more convenient. Then just have a cheap NV on the rifle for shooting. Just use the drop reticle or whatever it has to learn holdovers.

NV does help with identifying a dog vs a coyote. But at 300-500 yard it still may be tough.

When I had NV I used a sniper hog IR torch. As the one the units come with is pretty useless past 100 yards generally. With that I had no issues seeing the side of an abandoned house at 550 yards with just a cheap ATN

I went in with the same mindset as you are. I don’t coyote hunt at night just wanted something for taking them out when needed by house. There’s much better equipment one can venture into if you get more serious. Personally for what you want to do a clip on would be excellent and allow you to dial shots. But comes with a higher $$ tag. And I’d still recommend a separate thermal scanner as just having the one on the gun sucks. Removing and reattaching is an option to but I think I’d just opt for 2 optics

FuhQ · Feb 18, 2024

RMS65 said:
I've got a lot of coyote around my place in AR. They are are becoming a real problem with my dogs keeping me up at night.
There's a big field off my back deck that I could bait. Shots would be 300 to 500 yards. I know nothing about night optics. First, Is this possible? Second under $3k for the optic? I'm not sure if NV or thermal is better in high humidity and long distances.
Please school me.

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It has a 35mm objective, 640 resolution, and will digitally zoom from 2.5x to 20x. Also, AGM 640 thermals come with a 5 year warranty.

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Sgtsideways · Aug 13, 2024

John? said:
@RMS65

Thermal is the answer for shooting coyotes. I bought a Steiner S35 when they closed out that model. It works fine. Battery life can be an issue sometimes. We’re in the Kaw River Valley so WX is similar to yours. If I had it to do again I would buy a clip on thermal. Live and learn.

Our best results with coyote control is trapping. A medium sized double spring trip like Duke or Minnesota 550 serves well. Anchor line with a spring helps prevent pull outs. A basic flat set can be very productive. Traps never get tired and they work 24/7. Winter trapping requires some additional steps to prevent freeze-up, but none of this is difficult. My 10 year old makes a good set in about 20 minutes.

RMS65 said:
Thanks. Unfortunately traps are out of the question because I'll wind up trapping my dogs.

I have to agree with John on the trap. If you're having trouble getting sleep, then the traps are the way to go. Maybe you can put the dogs on the inside at night and let the traps do their thing. Getting up in the middle of the night to shoot is a real PITA.

I use the traps for protecting the garden from opossum, raccoon, and squirrel. Beats getting up to an alarm sensor at 2AM.

Gunfighter14e2 · Aug 13, 2024

RMS65 said:
I've got a lot of coyote around my place in AR. They are are becoming a real problem with my dogs keeping me up at night.
There's a big field off my back deck that I could bait. Shots would be 300 to 500 yards. I know nothing about night optics. First, Is this possible? Second under $3k for the optic? I'm not sure if NV or thermal is better in high humidity and long distances.
Please school me.

Trapping is still a thing for pests.

CTM1 · Aug 13, 2024

As others have said tapping is your best course of action even if you had to do it via cage traps. Certainly not as effective as leg hold traps but with your pet concerns it is an option.

As far as NV or thermal my $.02 is unless you are willing to dedicate the time to be on the gun you are not going to kill many yotes. I would skip the thought of trying to shoot them at 300-500 yards and look into setting up a bait pile much closer, under 100 yards if possible.

If you want to up your odds you can set up a a motion activated light, they even make them in IR and have an IR camera pointed at it tied to a CCTV inside. If you set up the CCTV next to your TV as you are watching the idiot box you can monitor the CCTV camera for activity. When a yote etc triggers the motion detectors IR light the IR camera will pick up the IR light and you will see the illumination on the CCTV. Eye shine also is easily seen on the CCTV from the IR camera.

Once you see activity you can slip out onto the deck or better yet if you can set up inside the house via a window that looks over the bait pile it makes you more stealthy.

By setting up a bait pile closer you up your odds of making hits and allows you to buy a lower end NV or thermal scope. Personally I have always preferred shooting with NV for positive identification.

The reality is if you keep the distance short you could skip the NV/thermal all together and just add a powerful red light to your existing rifle to shoot.

Hunting Lights - Motion Activated Lights - Elusive Wildlife Technologies

Crap, old thread resurrected.

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Night vision vs Thermal

RMS65

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Alcanino

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Millennium200

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Maggot

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RMS65

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hafejd30

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FuhQ

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AGM TS35-640 Rattler 12um 640x512 50Hz 35mm Thermal Riflescope 3143755005R361

Nitecore NL169 950mAh Rechargeable RCR123A 16340 Battery

Sgtsideways

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